July 25, 2017 at 6:00 PM - Board of Education Regular Meeting

Notice of the time and place of the Lincoln Board of Education meeting was e-mailed to an extensive list of local and regional news media.  A mailing list is maintained at the Lincoln Public Schools District Office.  A public notice was published in the LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR.

The attached minutes are intended to accurately reflect the action of the Board at its previous meetings.

Explanation
The minutes have been prepared for Board approval.

This summer many of our Lincoln Public Schools library media centers were open at scheduled times and days – resulting in more student summer readers in our school district.

Speaking to the value of summer library hours in our schools are:

• Chris Haeffner, director of Library Media Services.
• Lindsey Parrott, who will begin second grade at Sheridan Elementary School this coming school year.
• Keeli Gill, a student at Irving Middle School.
• Reid Styskel and Lillias McKillip – both fifth graders from Beattie Elementary School this past year – and sixth graders at Irving this coming year.

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

• Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose. 
• A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker. At the discretion of the chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time. Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
• Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment. A “Record of Appearance” card is provided for this purpose.
• Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
• In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
• If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
• Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may make printed materials available to the Board but may not use any other form of media.

Explanation:

The Human Resources Division also includes the Office of Risk Management.  As such, in addition to the Lincoln Board of Education approving all contractual agreements with employees, all employee benefit issues, all personnel actions, and all other matters within the scope of the Human Resources Division, as part of the Human Resources Matters agenda; the Lincoln Board of Education also must approve the settlement of Workers’ Compensation claims, take action on tort claims filed against the district, and take action on all other matters within the scope of the Office of Risk Management.

This report includes routine Human Resources changes:

   a.  Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 74

             Re-Elections Same Assignment – 8

             Re-Elections New Assignment – 4

             Changes of Status – 12

             Leaves of Absence – 5

             Separations – 8

   b.  Substitute Certificated Employees:

             Elections – 6

             Changes of Status – 1

             Separations – 134

   c.  Classified Employees:

             Elections – 125

             Changes of Status – 21

             Separations – 99

   d.  Other:

             Employment of Family Members – 1

             Workers' Compensation Lump Sum Settlements – 1

   e.  Approval of recommended revised Informal Observation document.

Proposal:

That the Board approve the Human Resources items presented in the attachment(s).*

*The information in the attachment(s) may be protected by privacy legislation until the Board of Education takes action on the staff recommendations.  Therefore, this attachment(s) is not included in agenda materials provided the public and the news media.  Any information in the attachment(s) that is not protected by privacy legislation, however, is available for public inspection from the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources upon request.

That the Board is approving the Human Resources items attached with the information as presented or as on file with official district records and documents relating to each such item, or in such other form as may be approved by the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, or the Associate Superintendent’s designee, and that the Board hereby authorizes the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources, or the Associate Superintendent’s designee, to transact and complete each such item approved hereby, and to sign, execute, and deliver necessary documents or contracts, and to take or cause to be taken any and all other action as may be necessary to complete each such item of transaction as contemplated, for and on behalf of this school district.

On February 14, 2017, the Board adopted a resolution to accept option enrollment students for the 2017-18 school year.  Applications for enrollment during the 2017-18 school year have been received and are in compliance with the Board resolution of February 14, 2017.      

Explanation 
The applications included in this agenda item have been examined by staff and meet one of the criteria set forth by the Board in the resolution of February 14, 2017.  Staff recommends approval of the applications. 

Proposal   
That the Board adopts the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the students who have been assigned student numbers 289444, 420540, 281664, 269226, 420736, 295148, 228033, 420821, 282200, 270176 and 420899 (for purposes of confidentiality, assigned numbers are being used) meet one or more of the criteria of the Board resolution of February 14, 2017, with regard to such option students;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the aforementioned students be accepted as option students on the condition and with the express understanding that all programs, all classes and all buildings of assignment, except as otherwise required by law, shall at all times and from time to time during attendance at Lincoln Public Schools be determined solely by Lincoln Public Schools.

March 15, 2017, was the deadline for enrollment option applications to be completed for students wishing to attend school in a district other than the one in which they reside for the 2017-18 school year.  The Lincoln Public Schools Board of Education has authority to waive the deadline for late enrollment option requests (NDE Rule 7, Section 004.05).      

Explanation  
Requests from students who reside in the district of Lincoln Public Schools and wish to attend school outside of Lincoln Public Schools have been received after the March 15, 2017, deadline.  The Lincoln Board of Education may deny or approve these requests.  If the requests are approved by the Board of Education, they will be forwarded to the option school districts for their approval. 

Student Number            Option District
420740                                Palmyra
293536                                Norris
420830                                Ashland/Greenwood
420827                                Ashland/Greenwood
420828                                Ashland/Greenwood
420831                                Waverly
255595                                Norris
243527                                Norris
227370                                Norris
420900                                Palmyra
420901                                Palmyra

Proposal  
That the Board approves the requests for option out for the 2017-18 school year.

Lincoln Public High Schools are members of the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA).  The purposes of the NSAA are to formulate and make policies which will cultivate high ideals of citizenship, fair competition, sportsmanship and teamwork; which, will complement the member schools’ curriculum programs, foster uniformity of standards in interscholastic activity competition; and to organize, develop, direct and regulate an interscholastic activity program that is equitable and protects and promotes the health and physical welfare of all participants. 

As part of the process of supporting and regulating interscholastic activities, the NSAA conducts an annual legislative process to adopt and revise its constitution and by-laws.  When the NSAA adopts new language, it sometimes requires LPS as an active member in the NSAA, to revise its’ policies to stay in compliance with the new language.

Explanation:

The revision of Policy 5111 proposes changes to the requirements for part-time students wishing to participate in NSAA-governed activities to align with the change in NSAA by-laws.

Explanation

Nebraska law and Lincoln Public Schools policy require that the Board of Education evaluate its Superintendent of Schools each year.  Completed evaluations are confidential reports that are placed in and become a part of the Superintendent's personnel file (Section 79-8,109).

The 2017-18 Board of Education and Superintendent’s Annual Goals and Priorities are presented below for consideration at this meeting. 

1. By 2019, develop, implement, and sustain district initiatives that result in an increased graduation rate, with a goal of 90% on-time graduates that are career and college ready.

2. By December 15, 2017, adopt a Strategic Plan, and provide regular progress reports to the Board of Education commencing in 2018.

3. Establish the Superintendent's High School Task Force to investigate community options and priorities for serving high school students and make recommendations by May 1, 2018.

A well-written code of conduct clarifies mission, values and principles, linking them with standards of conduct. A code of conduct assists in articulating the values it wishes to foster in its’ members, and through such articulation, defines desired behavior.  A code of conduct creates the language through which discussions about ethical behavior can revolve, and it empowers members to handle ethical dilemmas they encounter in their work.

Explanation

Policy 8006 outlines a code of conduct for Board members to clarify the conduct that best exemplifies a Lincoln Board of Education member, and when followed, leads to ethical, effective and efficient work by the Board.  Language in the code of conduct is based on similar code of conduct policies in other districts.

One of the purposes of the Policy Review and Revision Committee is to ensure that Lincoln Public School’s policies “provide clarity for the work of the Board.” When clarifying information comes forward, policies may be revised to reflect it.

Explanation

This revision of Policy 8130 clarifies the appointment and removal of Board members from committee assignments, and the revision reflects the elimination of the Law Liaison and Security Committees.  The tasks of those committees have been re-assigned.

July 31 - New Teacher Breakfast, Cornhusker Hotel, 7:15 am

August 2 - Chamber Coffee, Chamber Office, 8:00 am

August 8 - Board Meeting, LPSDO, 6:00 pm

In keeping with Board Policy 8420:

• Persons speaking during Public Comment will be called forward individually by the Board Chair to the location identified for such purpose.
• A time limit of five minutes will be allotted for any speaker.  At the discretion of the chair, the speaker may be allotted additional time.  Board members may share, address or consider comments from the public during public comment, at the end of public comment or when related business is on the agenda.
• Each individual speaking to the Board will be required to identify himself or herself prior to giving public comment.  A "Record of Appearance" card is provided for this purpose.
• Persons wishing to appear will be heard in the order in which the Chair of the meeting determines appropriate.
• In cases where more than one person wishes to speak on the same topic, their presentations to the Board may, at the discretion of the chair, be grouped together by topic.
• If the number of people wishing to speak under the public participation portions of the agenda is large, the chair may rule that a public hearing be scheduled or the discussion be limited on the issue in question.
• Persons speaking to the Board during public comment may hand out printed materials to the Board but may not use any other form of media.
• If at any time persons appearing before the Board exceed the time limitations or become abusive in language or behavior, the Chair may declare that person out of order and to refuse permission to continue to address the Board, require a change in behavior and may require the person or persons to leave the premises of the Board meeting. 

Explanation
At this point, it is appropriate for the Board to meet in closed session for one of the stated matters and/or any other permissible closed session matters in compliance with the law.

The Lincoln Board of Education is authorized by state statute to hold closed sessions.  Closed sessions may be held when clearly necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to the reputation of an individual.  Reasons that meet this standard include but are not limited to:  (a) strategy sessions with respect to collective bargaining, real estate matters, pending litigation, or litigation which is imminent as evidenced by communication of a claim or threat of litigation to or by the public body; (b) discussion regarding deployment of security personnel or devices; (c) investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct; (d) evaluation of the job performance of a person when necessary to prevent needless injury to the reputation of a person and if such person has not requested a public meeting; and (e) legal advice.